Try attaching your sleeping bag in its stuff sack to your bars with some paracord or something. I have a feeling you could pull it off.

I'm sure I could but my sleeping bag goes under my panniers on the back. Only way I don't kick them. Strange set up.

Thule has the Pack 'n Pedal Tour Rack that works on both the front and rear of bikes that don't have eyelets. You can also get side frames for them that support panniers. Racks - Thule Perhaps this would work for you.

Those are nice! Would be almost $350 for the set up though. $99.95 for the rack x $119.95 for each bag. Wouldn't mind buying the rack alone if my panniers would work on them.

I've heard a lot of people saying it was bad to put panniers on carbon forks but no one has seemed to answer when I ask why... Any insight?

Aluminium or steel forks that don't have the mid fork built in threaded hole for bolts can safely have c clamps tightened onto them to hold the rack on mid fork. It's not a problem for the metal.
Carbon fibre however is very strong with taking forces in certain directions, but is not safe with something clamped around it like a c clamp as the fork could get crushed and broken when you tighten the clamp. This would then lead to a failure of the fork.

You hear it all the time in formula one cars where suspension pieces are made of cf, super strong to take forces in a certain direction that the piece is designed for, but if a mechanic leans on it, it can crack.

There are some cf forks with built in rack bolt holes, but quite rare. My bike has one, but specialised stopped using them after about 5 years and put on an aluminium fork to avoid any problems.

Read up on cf and how it can't have stuff clamped on it. You really don't want to mess around with compromising the integrity of a carbon fork.
Also don't forget that your bike and fork were not designed for touring, especially not the front end.

Thanks for the information. I'm looking at a lightweight trailer that I may purchase. Only issue I'm having is finding a spare tube for the trailer! The manufacture doesn't carry them oddly enough.

So this is a straight bar bike and not drop bars with extra levers mounted up neat the stem?

It's a drop bar but didn't see the need for two sets of brakes so put the one set on top. I ride a lot in the down position but prefer the brakes up top even when doing so.

All right! That's great. The cheapest and lightest way to go is no front rack with a compression sack bundle containing sleeping bag with tarp/whatever strapped under the bars. Maybe 5lbs of stuff. Then a cheap rear rack with top plate as fender with one or two dry bags strapped on top. In between those two loads well secured on the frame or seatpost are infrequently used but necessary items like tube or tools. Maybe a "gas tank" type bag on the top tube near the stem. Maybe a spare bottle holder could be attached behind the seat or the spare tubes/tool bag under the down tube. Basically make it so that if you and the bike wipe out everything stays attached and if you need to remove anything it just takes a few seconds undoing buckles or straps. Be careful of single point failure attachments, in other words if one buckle/strap/bungie fails the whole mess doesn't fly or go in the wheels.
I think you can get close to 20lbs with that set up and the nice part is that it will make for a solid bike load that moves as one on twisties and descents as well as slow going up hills and also won't overload skinny tires.

If you HAVE to have panniers you might as well go the new fork route with low riders and a fast 28-32mm tire, there's more to gain for rim protection, comfort. Not sure whether your old front brake would be compatible with new fork and rim location. It would be a shame to change forks for more weight but be stuck with 25mm tires for it. You can have some minor changes in fork dimension, length, offset without it being a problem. I had an old Italian road bike with steep angles, Columbus tubing and very stiff fork. I changed out the fork from an English road bike that was a more comfortable ride and had a blast. Nice thing about those old bikes is that a fat 28mm to skinny 32mm could often fit in there.

given the size of your load a trailer isn't worth it, 10-15lbs of trailer to carry 20lbs of gear doesn't make sense

Awhile back I talked to a lean fellow who road his CrossCheck across country with a BoB trailer and he said he should have just gone with one set of panniers and no trailer.

The issue isn't entirely carbon, it's that that most carbon forks aren't designed for carrying panniers on racks so the clamp method used on steel forks introduces point stresses the carbon fork isnt designed for.

You could make carbon forks with appropriate fittings designed in so loads are appropriately spread out but it's a little like making a carbon fiber hood and fenders for a pick up truck, why bother making a light high strength component when the load in the bed makes it moot.

I'm confused, the pic shows what looks to be derailleur cable from STI brake levers.

I already have a rear rack and panniers. My sleeping bag goes under my rear panniers to keep it raised high enough to where I don't kick them as I ride. I've never tried a handlebar bag but might consider it. The trailer I was looking at is 10lbs.

I think I'm going to ditch the idea of front panniers.

Decisions to make!

The cables you see are from the shifters on the drop bar.

Yeah got it. I'm not putting panniers on the front.

Ahhh. $.02 don't get a big honking handlebar bag that cantilevers the load high and forward. Seems to me all of those are designed to act as an easily detached glove compartment and not the best way to carry a load that doesn't affect front end handling. Experiment around.

The front bag I used for fast touring 35 yrs ago was an oval nylon tube with plastic stiffener and one horizontal zipper. Attached to the bars with Velcro at the brake hoods and bottom of the drops. Not really convenient to get things out of but it left room for fingers on the tops of the bars was light and could be removed easily requiring no proprietary clamp devices. I could carry a windbreaker, bags of food, cap, can of juice etc. just a couple lbs is all.

It would be interesting if you could get your sleeping bag into a 13liter dry bag for the handlebars and the rest of your stuff in two 20liter dry bags strapped down tight on the rack. I know you're invested in the panniers but panniers were never meant for racing bikes. It's like loading up the trunk of a sports car with bags of concrete, you can do it but not exactly optimum for a long trip.
Because of your relatively light weight and load you can make this happen pretty easily on the existing wheels.
if you can get a fatter tire on the rear it would be beneficial.



Big River Dry Bag | Sea to Summit

Heck, it you are planning 20lbs , why the concern about a front rack? I sed you've now ditched the idea, and rigging up a larger handlebar bag would work great, free up some pannier space and it ain't a big deal for the handling. It'll be lighter than front rack and panniers and there are reasonable ones that aren't too expensive.
Why add at trailer, extra weight, not as easy to lift into a car trunk of pickup back if needed.

Seems to me your roughly 20lb load will work fine with adding a handlebar bag, plus you keep your valuables in there for going into a store or whatever.

My panniers are two 13 liter bags and everything fits fine. There's just not any room for food and as mentioned before, there will be a 3 day stretch where I wont see a single store. 2 days if I hammer it and do 100+ miles each day but not sure how likely that is given the elevation gain/loss.

Not sure why I would ever need to load it into a car or a truck so that seems like a moot point. I haven't been able to find a handlebar bag that will work with my brake set up without also changing that.

Another thought: My handlebars has a shock absorber in them. Do you think a handlebar bag would mess with this mechanism?

The tire I have on now is the fattest tire the frame will take :thumb:

Over the last 25 years of so, I've had to lift my bike up into stuff or over stuff a few times, and have been against g the idea of trailers as one more thing to lug at airports or the rare time of getting a lift.

My handlebar bag setup works fine with my interrupter bars, just had to angle them down slightly and no issues, in fact they are similar in angle to my mtn bike brake levers.

Never seen a handlebar suspension but my mtn bike suspension is fine with a bar bag

Sounds good. Just found these

Sweetrolls and drop bars | Revelate Designs LLC

I wonder how those would work with my brakes. I ride a lot with my hands towards the center too. I think I might ask if Performance will let me try one out for a ride around the lot when I take my bike in on Tuesday!

No airports involved in my trip that includes my bike :thumb: The handlebars are shock loaded.

what do you mean by your handlebars are shock loaded? I dont follow.

re bar bags, there are numerous models that have a mount that you put on your bars, a quick release sort of deal for the bag. They stick out a certain amount from the bars, therefore allowing enough space for brake levers like you have. My mount gives enough room for my levers, so you might want to look into these type handlebar bags that can vary in size from models to models. One might be bigger than the roll type bags held on with velcro that are being shown here.

As in they move and flex cause they have shocks in them where the bars meet the stem.